Life After You
by xxxLauraxxx
Summary: The story starts just after the rescue boat arrives to take everyone home. Everyone had been on living on the island for 2 years and Jack and Kate have been together for 6 months. Jack's POV


Title: Life After You  
Rating: PG  
Pairing: Jack and Kate  
Summary: The story starts just after the rescue boat arrives to take everyone home. Everyone had been on living on the island for 2 years and Jack and Kate have been together for 6 months. It's being told from Jack's point of view and contains no spoilers.  
Status of fic: Complete/One-shot  
Authors notes/Disclaimers: I don't own lost or ABC nor am I affiliated with them in any way.

Even now after all these years I still remember that day, the day we were rescued. Despite the overwhelming sense joy and relief it was laced with a pang of sadness too. We always knew one day you're past would catch up with you, you couldn't run forever. But it had come to soon, snuck up on us without any warning. We saw him coming a sadistic smile on his face swinging those hancuffs around on his finger. A 9mm gun latched onto his belt. He didn't care what he was about to do. That smug look I wanted to wipe it off of his face, to beat the life out of him, but you stopped me. You said it was time, you didn't seem afraid and I couldn't understand why. You held my face in your hands traced my features lightly with your fingers. My heart was breaking it wasn't fair we had only found each other and now I had to lose you again. I wasn't ready to let you go yet so I pulled you in close. Silent tears trickled down my face as I breathed in your scent remembering all the memories we had ever shared. He came up behind and pulled you away, roughly encasing you in those handcuffs. He laughed out loud and said, "Kate i've been looking forward to meeting you", his voice was harsh and full of venom. He dragged you away and from that very moment on it all stopped. I didn't know what to do anymore. After all this time being the leader fixing all the problems I didn't know how to fix this, there was nothing I could do. I felt so helpless. I stood rooted to the spot lost in my thoughts trying to figure out what to do next. Sun slowly came towards me and led me to the ship. I could see the tears glistening against her sallow skin. Her breathing was rough and ragged. She whispered softly "We'll fix this Jack I promise", a quiver was audible in her voice, her hands shaking. I know she hated this as much as me. The two of you had formed a strong friendship over the years. On board everyone came up offering words of condolence trying to comfort me but I was numb to it lost in my own thoughts. Nothing they could say would help. I knew somewhere on board you were there but I couldn't reach you. I so badly wanted to hold you promise you everything was going to be alright but I couldn't. The journey felt like a lifetime, I didn't stop thinking about you once. When we reached land I caught a glimpse of you. Your tear stained face contorted in pain I knew he had hurt you. It killed me to see you in such agony. You were visibly shaking, dried blood on your hands. I could see you scanning the crowd looking for me. I called out your name proising i'd get you out, not to worry it wouldn't be for long. He laughed again harsh and coldly told me not to waste my time. You'd be given the death penalty before the end of the week. If Sawyer hadn't held me back i'd have killed him, strangled him with my bare hands. He said it would only make things worse, what use would I be to you behind bars? He was right of course but it might have been better then then going on without you, trying to do this alone. Everything after that was a blur. I was reaquainted with my mother, my friends. Their sympathetic looks, concerned whispers, comforting words I didn't want it, any of it. All I wanted was you. Getting you out, getting you home was all that I thought about. I visited you every day repeating the same words over and over "Don't worry everything will be alright. We'll be together soon". You justed nodded, smiled through your pain. You had lost all your sparkle, your spirit was broken. I knew each day was a battle for you too. Seeing you so lost, so afraid it spurred me on. I was more detemined now then ever. I spent every waking moment working on your defence and everytime I closed my eyes your beautiful face haunted my dreams. You had become my very exsistence. Life moved on but I wasn't living it. I just went through the motions taking each day as it came. I knew you were doing the same. The day before your trial your letter came do you remember? It came just at the right time and gave me the strength to go the final distance. Those words so pure, so heartfelt I know you meant everything you said,

_Dear Jack, _

Every day i'm apart from you it breaks my heart a little more. It kills me knowing the pain i'm putting you through. Life has become a struggle. it's your love that keeps me going. Every waking minute I spend thinking of you and at night your in my dreams. Being apart from you is unbearable but i'll go through this torture if it means one day we'll be together again. If things don't work out then know even for the brief time we spent together felt like a million lifetimes. Please don't put your life on hold for me. I know your afraid and so am I but my dad once told me that a life lived in fear is not a life lived at all. Jack if you can't do anything else for me live life to the fullest, live out your dreams. If I cant't be there in person know i'll be there in spirit. I love you more then I ever thought i'd possibly love anyone. I hope one day we'll be together again if not in this lifetime then the next. Be happy Jack  
Yours always,  
Kate.

Those words that's what kept me going the whole way through your trial. That day was one of the hardest of my life. Your face and body adorned with cuts and bruises and that orange jumpsuit. Orange used to bring you to life on the island, it brought out the sparkle in your eyes and the shine in your hair but now, now it was harsh and cold. I concentrated on you the whole was through that trial, blocked out every lie and every fabrication they presented. I couldn't loose my cool not now. I was sure we'd done enough I waited for them to say you could come home. I was on edge the whole way through the trial but as the jury came back and announced the verdict, guilty, the last remaining part of my heart shattered. I felt empty like a part of my soul had been ripped from me. 5 years, 5 long years they were taking you from me. Everyone was there that day your family from your island all expecting you to be able to come home. Tears flowed in that courtroom that day shock and horror masked their faces. I didn't spill one tear I couldn't, not anymore. They transported you to another part of the country. You were too far to vistit but I wrote to you every day. You never left my thoughts once.

I was surprised how easy it was to slip back into my old routine. Back to work, fixing lives but I was a fraud how could I fix anyone when I was a broken man myself? Friends took me out, tried to introduce me other girls. They told me to move on they didn't understand. They didn't know what we had been through together. I distanced myself from them threw myself into work. It didn't help though every day became long and meaningless. Life had lost all purpose. I had never been the glass 1/2 empty type of guy but without you what was the point?

Every few months everyone from the island met up a sort of reunion. We reminisied over the good times and bad but never once did we celebrate instead we mourned your absence, each of us wishing you could be there. You had missed so much Charlie and Claire's wedding, Sun and Jin's first baby and now another on the way, Shannon and Boone's memorial service, Hurley and Libby's engagement party all things I knew you would have loved to have been a part of it all, sending you pictures wasn't the same.

5 long years went by each day as tough as the last. October 15th started just like any other. Dragging myself out of bed forcing myself to keep going for you if nothing to else. I was just about to go to work another long, hard day at the hospital when the doorbell rang.I assumed it was kids again they usually played trick at this hour of the morning. I envied them so vivacious, full of life how I remembered you but as I opened the latch and turned the handle there you were. I couldn't quite believe it. I had seen you before but every time it was my mind playing cruel tricks on me.I reached out expecting you to vanish but you didn't there you were as beautiful as ever. "Hello Jack", you said nervously almost cautiously as if somehow I had forgotten who you were. I pulled you in close unwilling to ever let you go again. You breathed a sigh of relief and melted into my arms. Finally after 5 long years you were home, You had found me and in that moment life began again. And now look at us 26 years later here we are watching our little girl saying her vows embarking in the journey of her life. A journey we are still living and enjoying more as each adventure begins. I squeeze your hand knowing we are both thinking the same thing reliving the bumpy ride we had to endure to get where we are today. It sure as hell was hard but it was all worth it and we got there in the end

Fin

Hope you liked please reveiw & tell me what you think!! xxx


End file.
